430 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK in. 



other points of practical importance must be given. We have 

 already, in the Book on Cattle, pointed out the importance of 

 attending to the proper selection of first-class bulls where stock of 

 value is desired. If this is important as regards cattle, it is not of 

 less importance in the case of horses, upon whose quick and economical 

 working so much on a farm depends. Although more attention is 

 paid to the breeding of horses, both from good sires and dams than 

 formerly, it is notwithstanding matter of great surprise to those who 

 are closely interested in the progress of agriculture in this country, to 

 note the extraordinary indifference there is amongst farmers as to 

 having a good stock of working horses. At one time any old " screw " 

 of a skeleton was deemed good enough to serve a mare with, although, 

 as sometimes happened, she was of a good or moderately good breed ; 

 and even to this day many are still content to carry on the system, 

 which is as silly as it is a source of serious loss to them. As a writer, 

 from whom we shall presently quote a most suggestive paragraph, 

 remarks : " Farmers forget that the cost of ' serving ' is a small item 

 compared with the sum spent in the after rearing and training of the 

 animals." The difference, moreover, between the sum asked for the 

 services of a sire with good points and a fair pedigree, and that for 

 those oi an " old worthless screw "is so very trifling compared with 

 the increased, or rather greater value of the superior progeny obtained 

 by the use of the good sire, that no one, unless he is enamoured of 

 the " penny wise and pound foolish " system would ever think of with- 

 holding the amount of the difference. 



While " pedigree " must not be overlooked or neglected as con- 

 stituting an important element in estimating the value of the sire as a 

 stock-getter, so much should not be made of it as to override or put 

 out of consideration in the mind of the breeder the necessity of 

 attending to the " points " of the animal ; to ascertain which the 

 breeder must subject it to a rigid examination. It is but a common- 

 sense proceeding to see what we are paying our money for. The writer 

 to whom we have already drawn attention, while commenting on the 

 subject of pedigree, and contrasting it with that of the points presented 

 by a horse to the eye of the careful breeder, remarks that it pedi- 

 gree " can never be accepted in the room of good and useful qualities, 

 but simply as a guarantee for the certain transmission of the many 

 good qualities which the well-bred cart-horse must in addition 

 possess." 



The illustrated paper on "The Mare and Foal," by Professor J. 

 Wortley Axe, in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of 

 England (3rd series, vol. ix., 1398), will well repay perusal. It has been 

 reprinted as a shilling pamphlet of 60 pages, and is published by Mr. 

 John Murray, Albemarle Street, London. ' 



